3 Heart Health Myths Debunked

We’re serious as a heart attack about our tickers, but the fact is, there's a lot of bad info out there. Donna Ruko had a heart-to-heart with top integrative cardiologist, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, and he gave her a list of the top three heart health fa

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We’re serious as a heart attack about our tickers, but the fact is, there's a lot of bad info out there. Donna Ruko had a heart-to-heart with top integrative cardiologist, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, and he gave her a list of the top three heart health fallacies.

1. All Cholesterol is Bad

Cholesterol is good for the body. It nourishes the brain, it provides hormones and it lubricates the skin. So-called "bad" cholesterol is only bad if it becomes oxidized, which produces inflammation in arteries, increasing your risk of having a heart attack. How does cholesterol get oxidized? Eating trans fats and smoking are the two main causes we know to avoid.

2. “Low-Fat” Means Healthy

If it's low-calorie that means a lot of that fat has been taken out, but the trade-off is a lot of these low-cal foods are high in sugar. Sugar is the culprit when it comes to heart disease and we know that insulin is the most pro-inflammatory hormone around, which causes inflammation.

3. An Aspirin a Day Keeps the Cardiologist Away

If you're perfectly healthy, even a low dose of aspirin daily can cause unnecessary blood thinning and gastrointestinal distress, even stomach bleeding.

WEB BONUS: Saturated Fat is Bad

Dr. Sinatra likes mono-saturated fats, not trans fats. Saturated fats are the least prone to oxidation. Eggs, organic and cheeses are good for you, but avoid trans fats at all cost. Saturated fats are fine.

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